Devices for dispensing air fresheners or fragrances in a local area surrounding the device are well known and usually are divided into passive and active devices. Some of the more prevalent passive air freshening devices include solid fragrant materials that are enclosed in a housing having apertures. The solid slowly releases a volatilized fragrance over a long period of time until the fragrance is spent. The housing associated with this type of dispensing device is usually constructed of a lightweight plastic and is provided with a self-adhesive strip for attaching the dispensing device to planar surfaces. In many cases, when the fragrance is spent, the entire unit is discarded. Other devices include replaceable cartridges or blocks, of dispensing devices, for periodic recharging of the device. Due to their small size and ability to attach to any planar surface, these devices can be placed in numerous locations with little or no intrusion into the surrounding area. Other passive air fresheners, especially those used in restrooms, do not have any enclosure and are simply comprised of a block of chemical that slowly releases a fragrance. An example of this type of dispensing device is a solid block that is placed in the clean water reservoir for a standard toilet.
An example of the active type of air freshening device is the aerosol spray type where the fragrance is stored under pressure in gaseous form. While these spray cans provide a powerful charge of dispensing device to a local area, there are several disadvantages to their use including safety, especially for children, and environmental concerns.
It has been known in the prior art to combine active and passive air freshening by mounting a dispensing device to a door. An example of a door-activated dispensing device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,383 issued to Konicek. Konicek discloses a dispensing device that includes a reservoir for holding a fragrant liquid. The reservoir is positioned over a pad that absorbs the liquid and provides for release of the fragrance into the room. The reservoir provides liquid to the pad through the action of a pivoting valve that is normally closed but opens for a brief period of time when the door is moved. The pivoting valve is fulcrumed such that it swings from one closed position through the open position to another closed position in response to the motion of the door. While the device takes advantage of the motion of the door to provide active and passive air freshening, its main drawback is that it requires the user to store and handle liquid chemicals for refilling the unit.
What is needed is a disposable dispensing device that combines active and passive air freshening from a solid fragrant or odorous substance by taking advantage of the airflow and the motion generated by the opening of a door.